[U.S. Public Health Service. 1798]
[Health Education Against Malaria]
[Produced by Federal Security Agency. U.S. Public Health Service. Office of Malaria Control In War Areas. Atlanta, GA.]
[In cooperation with South Carolina State Board of Health 1944]
[This subject is one of a series of documentary films depicting the work of the several state health departments and the United States Public Health Service]
[Family sitting on outside porch]
Just look at those people.
No screens on them, mosquitoes annoying them, it's bad enough to be pestered like this during the day,
but when night rolls around an unscreened porch can really be dangerous.
For that's when malaria carrying mosquitoes are nearby, searching for their evening meal of human blood.
Now, malaria is a serious health problem in the south
and to the infected individual it means exhaustion and sickness that may make him an invalid for life.
Run-down home with primitive household facilities and unprotected children like these are the results,
unless, proper health information on malaria is handed down to everyone.
[Flies are crawling on sleeping children]
Here is how the city group in Sumter, South Carolina tackles the problem.
First, a local school teacher was selected to attend training classes at Memphis, Tennessee.
Where a two weeks course with essential facts about the control of malaria [sound skips] and eliminate the mosquitoes was conducted
by local, state, and federal public health officials.
Of course, the community leaders who attended these classes couldn't expect to learn as much as their instructors in such short time.
But, when they were ready to return home they did have a sound knowledge of what they were expected to teach others.
Back at Sumter, our health educator started out on her new job to pass on information to the local health department staff.
As well as to all institutions in the community: civic clubs, and hospitals.
Rich or poor, regardless of race or color. The educators spread the message around.
[Educator shown teaching in front of an audience outdoors]
[Poster: Oh boy! What a break, this is where I come in! Keep out malaria mosquitoes. Repair your torn screens]
Training films were shown as the one used by this training group of how public health workers destroy the breeding places of mosquitoes by larviciding.
This is a necessary operation, but an expensive one to the taxpayer.
However, it can be reduced if everyone takes personal control measures against malaria.
Information on the disease was also passed on to the Parents Teachers Association
in order to determine how it should be introduced in the science classes of the public schools.
Science teachers were given special detailed instruction on malaria control so they would be prepared to teach the subject properly.
They also arranged field trips for their students to nearby malaria infested swamps
where local health officials demonstrated the effectiveness of Paris Green dusting, and oil spraying.
[Car logo: Sumter Carnegie Public Library]
Mobile public libraries carried literature to rural areas where malaria control was most essential.
Also, the science sections of all public libraries had excellent material on hand.
The use of poster window displays helped keep the community up-to-date on all new information.
Clubs were formed by those people who lived on farms and didn't have the opportunity to get into town often.
The members of these clubs assembled periodically to listen to new methods of combating the old problem.
No group was too small to receive the important information of the reasons why people got malaria and how to avoid it.
At the county health center, the layman where given final precautions on how to safeguard his home, his family, and himself.
When the health educator was certain everyone had sufficient information on malaria control, she briefly summarized these main points:
Put up window screens to keep out the mosquitoes. Be sure and place patches on all the holes in the screen.
See that all screen doors are kept closed.
And as an added precaution, it is wise to place a net over the baby's crib.
If there are cracks in the floor, seal them.
[Sign: Dr. W.J. Snyder, Jr.]
See your doctor if you live in malaria infested areas and suspect that you have caught the disease.
Your doctor will test your blood and if you do have malaria, he will give you immediate treatment for it.
Spraying oil on the water surfaces of your private fishing ponds will kill the larva in their breeding places.
Or by sprinkling dusting powder of Paris Green, as this woman is doing.
And now that you've screened in that front porch, you can really relax without fear of catching malaria.
[The End. 4 - 010]